Residential Services

There are times when outpatient therapy is not enough to support adolescents with mental health issues. When children are unsafe at home and need additional care, it may be time for residential treatment.

Wayside Campus residential services provide 24-hour care in a safe, secure and welcoming environment. With lengths of stay lasting anywhere from a few days to a few months, Wayside Campus's flexible residential services meet the varying needs of youth needing an out-of-home placement. We provide the ideal balance between intensive care and the social and recreational benefits of a campus setting. Our facility boasts six residential homes, each with living space for 12 teens; onsite nursing and psychiatric care; library; a gymnasium and a sports field.

We know that being away from home is hard for children - and for their families too. Therefore, we do our very best to make their stays as short as possible. Further, while youth are here, we work with families to set up community supports and after-care plans for a seamless transition home.

Below are descriptions of the types of residential services we have available at the Wayside Campus. Please contact us if you would like more information (including how to access these services).

CBAT is a short-term (average length of stay is two weeks) service for youth experiencing acute mental health symptoms. Referrals are made by hospitals or psychiatric emergency services (PES) teams after a full psychiatric evaluation. Youth may come to CBAT as a step-down from psychiatric hospitalization or as an alternative to hospitalization. CBAT offers youth structure and support so that they can return to the community and succeed in school and at home.

During weekdays, youth attend the Wayside Day Center (link) which provides peer support groups, therapeutic and skill building exercises and wellness and recreational activities. The service provides psychiatric assessment, individual, family and group treatment, stabilization and discharge planning.

This 45-day assessment is for adolescents with mental health, behavioral and/or school problems. Youth must be involved with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF). STARR residents continue to attend their own school during the week. Individual, family and group therapy is provided.

A longer term residential treatment for youth with behavioral and/or mental health needs who attend public school or another community-based educational program. Individual, family and group therapy, nursing and medical services, wellness programming and opportunities to learn vocational skills and participate in volunteer activities.

This is a similar, longer term, service as Group Home, except that Res-Ed youth attend Wayside Academy here at the Campus. This is preferable for children who need the consistent structure and support that they are able to receive by staying at the Campus 24 hours a day. As with Group Home residents, youth receive individual, family and group therapy, nursing and medical services, wellness programming and opportunities to learn vocational skills and participate in volunteer activities.